Shadows Receding
by Miss-Nami-Shiawase
Summary: Somewhat of a continuance of my story Shadows Cast, but you don't need to read it to understand this entirely. My impression of what I think might happen in the future. Sky is the Commander of Earth base, Doggie has become Supreme Commander, and Kat has become Technologies and Engineering Commanding Officer, still by Cruger's side. Entirely Kat/Doggie. Please enjoy and review!
1. Shadows Receding

_Shadows Receding_

"Announcing the arrival of the honorable Supreme Commander Cruger and TEC Officer Doctor Katherine Manx!"

Behind Sky, the entirety of his Earth base snaps to attention, including active B–Squad.

The shuttle door hisses open and Doggie Cruger steps out first. His largely clawed back paws find the floor and he stops, outstretching a paw. From inside the shuttle, a humanoid hand with delicate claws reaches out. He helps out a beautiful brunette woman, tall and elegant in every sense. Her chestnut curls fall past her shoulders, partly pinned to the sides, below her impressive ears. The two fall into step with each other and approach.

"Commander Tate, it's good to see you," Cruger greets formally.

"It is good to see you, Sir!" Sky says in a booming voice, enriched with authority. After a moment their facades crumble into familiar smiled. "Hello, old dog."

"Sky," Cruger meets Sky in a manly hug, patting each other on the back.

"Doctor Manx," Sky nods before sweeping Kat into a hug as well; "Hi, Kat."

"Hello, Sky," Kat greets and hugs her once–cadet.

Sky nods and turns back to his base. "Cadets, we have the honor of hosting Supreme Commander Cruger and TEC Officer Manx on our base. I expect them to be shown the utmost respect, be accommodated to the greatest extent, and leave with a proper impression of Earth. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir!" the base responds.

"Technologies and Engineering Commanding Officer Manx, and once, Cat Ranger. Doctor Manx holds the utmost prestige as our foremost expert in the technical fields." Sky makes a point of announcing them as they walk down an aisle cleared through the cadets.

The cadets clap for the most esteemed woman, graceful with her head held level. Her boots' three inch heels make her a grand total of six foot two and three quarters, taller than even Sky. The lab coat she wears in her rank is similar to a Commander's jacket, black, heavy, and flowing down around her long, lithe legs. The white shirt and black skirt she wears underneath pull appropriately but attractively against her feminine form. She paints a most intimidating yet receptive picture.

"Supreme Commander Anubis Cruger, head of SPD and once the great Shadow Ranger. He lead his home planet, the first SPD, and our own Earth base into battle fearlessly."

Kat turns to Cruger with a smile that holds so much in it people wonder how many meanings it really has. It's secretive, between the two of them, but also friendly, and holding a spark of flirtatiousness.

"Now, now, Cadets, I am here to oversee business, and catch up with my old friends. Thank you, for this most flattering greeting. I appreciate you coming out to see us and I am most impressed by your decorum." Cruger speaks with the same defined articulation he has always had.

"Sir!" the crowd choruses and salutes as Sky, Kat, Cruger and B–Squad clear the body of them. Sky dismisses them and they begin shuffling away, many heads turning back to get glimpses of their impressive visitors.

"How have you been?" Syd asks readily. "I totally love the fashion upgrade, by the way. The gold buttons go super well with the whole aliens in black thing you've got going on."

"Thank you, Syd," Kat quirks a smile at the blond who clearly hasn't changed too much in her years. "It's different up there, and I miss you all every day."

"We miss you, too," Bridge tilts his head at Kat. "I never knew just how much you did for us until Boom and I started splitting lab duty."

"It's a rewarding job," Kat assures him.

"Indeed it is," Cruger nods, to Kat's left.

"What's it like being the top dog, sir?—pardon the pun," Bridge grins.

"It is different, Bridge, but a very rewarding position." Cruger speaks lightly of it. It's strange to him, to be walking through his old base as a guest. He looks to Kat, who can't stop smiling. He smiles also. "Plus, it does an old dog good to have his oldest friend around."

"We're not that old, Doggie," Kat beams up at him with her pearly fangs.

"Maybe you're not, but I'm approaching the two hundred mark in Earth years," he frowns, really thinking about that impact.

"So, in your translation of years, it makes you almost 30, not at all old. Particularly young, considering your position," Kat offers in return.

"You're, what is it, twenty five, in Earth years?—and you've had a top rank created specifically for you," Doggie laughs a bit.

"I guess you're right. Well, compared to Silverback and how old Birdy was in your position we're young ones," Kat shakes her head, thinking about it. The curls she has let grow down her shoulders bounce around her.

"Anyone else hear this flirting going on?" Z asks Syd and Bridge on either side of her.

"Total UST," Syd agrees, nodding.

"What's UST?" Bridge asks. Syd whispers in his ear and he makes an 'O' shaped mouth. "Then, yeah, I can see that. I thought they would have done...something, y'know? I mean, they're up there, together, finally, and he's the head of everything, so they can't get in any trouble."

"What are you whispering about?" Kat asks while her head remains forward.

"Have you and DC been having a good time up there, Kat?" Z asks, trying to sound innocent while holding in laughter.

"Yes," Kat looks at her B–Squad, now, sensing a suspicious tone. She has heard it many times from them before but has never discerned just what their implications were. "What's got you all giddy?"

"They are still our B–Squad, Kat," Cruger draws her attention. "They're still our kids."

"Excuse me, they're your kids when they're acting all fishy," Kat raises an eyebrow.

"On the contrary, they're my kids when they're saving the Earth and training; they're your kids any other time," he bends his muzzle next to her head so he can look into her eyes at a proper angle.

"Saving the Earth with _my_ technology, you old dog! They're my kids most of the time, they can yours when they're playing light ball indoors and leaving their mess all over the Command Center," Kat quips back easily.

"Hello, we're not children," Syd protests, earning a double eyebrow–raise. Deflating, she rolls her eyes, "anymore."

"Here we are," Sky leads everyone into the Command Center and stops by the door. He nods to his chair and smiles, "would you do the honors, sir?"

"Thank you, Sky," Doggie takes the extended liberty and sits himself back in the chair. "Good to be back, isn't it, Kat?"

"Very much, so, sir," Kat smiles at him with a slow, soft smile that again holds a level of secrecy, but also openness. "Now, what have you guys been up to?"

"Bein' awesome," Bridge answers instantly with a quirky grin. "Things have been easy going, since there's no huge threats here now."

"I see you've decided to keep B–Squad as a three person squadron," Cruger notes from his chair.

"Yes, sir, I believe that replacements are unnecessary, at least for the time being. Our current B–Squad functions perfectly as things are," Sky nods solidly.

"No need to defend them to me, Commander Tate. I have every faith in you and your Rangers," Doggie smiles, letting his eyes go to Kat's before Sky. "Now, may I ask how it's coming, as the Shadow Ranger?"

"Things are going well, sir," Sky nods and turns to Kat, who smiles. "I'm rarely needed, but it's good to have."

"If you're willing, Sky, I think I might have something better than the Shadow Morpher." When everyone seems befuddled she reaches to her belt and pulls out a blue and gold stylized morpher. "I've been developing this technology to better accommodate civilian powers. I call it the Delta Max Morpher."

Sky catches the small device tossed to him, startled. It's a cobalt blue color with gold trimmings. "Kat, when did you make this?"

"Well, Commander, I asked Kat if she could develop something custom for you, because," everyone faces him as he pauses, "I wanted my Shadow Morpher back."

Sky blinks in confusion but pulls out the Shadow Morpher at its mention. It's in mint condition, good as new. "Sir?—why didn't you just ask me?"

"He's too stubborn, that's why. He didn't want to mention it until I had something made properly to replace it," Kat puts in for Doggie, taking the Shadow Morpher. "The Delta Max Morpher is designed just for you, Sky, combining ultra force enhancers with my newest SWAT schematics."

Everyone gets tossed a chip, which is inserted into their morphers.

"Suit up!" Doggie barks at them. Ooh, it's good to be back.

"SPD!—Emergency!"

Bridge, Syd and Z find their suits upgraded to be more like SWAT Mode in the normal phase. Bridge's suit has sensory enhancements that will help him use and control his aura reading ability in combat. Syd's gloves are micromesh titanium, for her to absorb into her hand. Z's suit has an inlayed layer of iridium that will protect her morphed duplicates and help them to last longer. "Whoa, Kat, this is awesome!"

"Try it, Delta Max Ranger," Kat nods to Sky.

"SPD!—Emergency!" Sky's body becomes encased in cobalt shade micromesh with black plating and gold lining design, forming an angular infinite loop across the chest plating. "Delta Max Ranger!"

"Very impressive," Syd nods to herself.

"It will also play on your ability to create forcefields," Kat adds. "How does it feel?"

"Custom made, perfect," he nods at her. Demorphing, he turns to Cruger, who looks most pleased. "So, missed being Shadow Ranger, huh?"

"Somewhat, but I really missed just having it," Cruger admits as Kat hands him the Shadow Morpher, letting her fingers brush his paw in the process. "It was a gift, you know."

Kat smiles shyly and lets her fingers trail over his paw in slow motion. "We decided that the Shadow Morpher really belongs with him, so it will come back to Supreme Command with us. I'll archive it, but it will physically remain with him."

"You _are_ Shadow Ranger, sir," Sky nods. It's a loaded statement, with so much riding on it. Doggie might not go on active duty with it, but he is Shadow, just as Shadow needs him to have an identity of its own. The Shadow Morpher belongs with him.

"Sir!" B–Squad salutes in concurrence.

"Never mind it, now, where are you setting us up, Tate? I have a bet with Kat that you'll set us up in our old rooms," Cruger gets down from the chair and goes to her side.

"However, I said that you'd have entirely different quarters for us," Kat protests.

"Follow me," Sky begins down the hall, Kat, Cruger, then B–Squad in tow. "How are the quarters up at Supreme Command?"

"Luxurious?—divine?—totally state of the art?" Syd guesses enthusiastically.

"Fine," both Kat and Cruger answer together. B–Squad looks at them with eyebrows quirked. "What?"

"This goes up to the executive floor," Sky gestures to the keypad. "B–Squad, say goodnight."

"Have a good night, guys," Bridge nods and waves.

"G'night, Kat, DC," Z hugs them both again.

"We'll see you tomorrow," Syd says and hugs them as well.

"Good night, guys," Kat waves as Doggie nods to them. Once they've gone, she follows Sky up to the executive branch. "Thank you, Sky, for our accommodations."

"Our room, and the discrepancy with which you selected it," Doggie ads.

"They'll find out eventually, you know. It's only a matter of time before Z and Syd bully Bridge into reading your auras," Sky leads them to the executive guest room he had designed just for these such occasions. On the one hand, he had only one installed because he thought only Kat would be stationed there on visits. On the other hand, it's not at all bad, since the two planned on sharing a room anyway. Trying not to smile too widely, he speaks, "here you go."

"Thank you, Sky," Kat says as she walks into the room. Their luggage was taken up by cadets first thing. The room is very nice, the size of Cruger's old one with all the decadence of a hotel. "This is very nice."

"Janitorial staff will keep the room clean, so don't worry about any...messy business," Sky's facade begins to crumble to a smug grin.

"Wipe that grin off your face, Tate," Cruger schools as he also steps into the room.

"Yes, sir," Sky begins to laugh as Kat's face becomes rosy. "I'm just saying, make yourselves at home. No one knows that you're sharing quarters so there should be minimal suspicion."

"That will be all," Cruger nods with a small smirk.

"Just try to keep the noise down, since this is right above my room," Sky jokes, having a grand ol' time at his friends' discomfort.

"Get out, Sky," Cruger points with a growl.

"Have a good night," Sky continues to chuckle.

"At least he's laughing nowadays," Kat mutters, still embarrassed. It fades, though, as Doggie settles onto the bed. She goes and does so as well, as automatically as she blinks.

"I don't see how it's a relevant factor, we're both visiting, why spare two separate rooms?" Doggie offers logically as he unbuttons his own coat and takes Kats as well.

"Exactly," Kat sighs as she settles into Doggie's form, purring as she drifts into a nap.


	2. Shadows Dissipated

_Shadows Dissipated_

"It's good to be home," Doggie sighs as he steps off their shuttle. Holding out a paw, he helps Kat down onto the platform; "hm?"

"It is," she agrees, stepping down delicately. They walk along the marble platform in sync, an assistant of either Kat's or Doggie's – sometimes they have trouble telling them apart – follows with their luggage. "It was nice to see Earth base again, but maybe next time we should only stay a work week. Spending the weekend might have been overkill."

"Agreed, though it might not have been so bad if it hadn't have been spent it at global liaison dinner negotiations. Remember listening to the Russian base liaison prattle on about borsht for that hour and a half?" Doggie sighs at just remembering it as Kat shakes her head. The dinner had been official, was supposed to be for discussing distribution of someone from Supreme Command to cover the sudden disappearance of their Lieutenant Commander (who had gone for a walk in the Siberian woods three week prior). However, the thickly accented man sent to negotiate had only two interests: borsht, and Kat's breasts. "You would think they could send a man who could at least have the decency not to stare at you the whole time."

"You mean a certain part of me," Kat sneers. The entire time she was all too aware of the liaison's gaze resting on her bust. It got a point where Doggie would actually have to insert his muzzle between her and the liaison's gaze just to get an answer out of him that wasn't riddled with drool. Hearing her friend growl she smiles. "We've had worse conferences with liaisons. The dinner we had with the Canadian diplomat was quite nice."

"He was better than the Russian, but he was no better with staring at you, you just didn't see it," he growls. Kat looks at him, brows furrowed. "Whenever you excused yourself his eyes would follow your tailside there and back."

"Ah, an ass man," she offers a small, crude joke. Kat looks back at the cadet, who pretends not to be listening to their conversation. "Take our luggage up to the Supreme Commander's office, Cadet."

"Yes, Ma'am," the human bows and does so.

They step onto the escalators and he turns to her. "The Brazilian liaison seemed nice enough."

"Please," Kat scoffs. Without looking at him she elaborates, "did you not feel her staring at you every time she put something in her mouth? I lost my appetite for the night watching her eat the same strawberry for seven minutes."

"Hm, I didn't notice." Doggie marks a secret tally in his mind of times he has seen Kat jealous. It makes him swell with alpha–male pride at the thought. "Why are the Earth Base liaisons so unprofessional on Earth? Bridge was the best behaved, and that's saying something."

"I know," Kat shakes her head, widening her eyes at the thought. As they come back to their floor she smiles. "It is good to be back; it's good to be home."

"Indeed," Doggie nods and smiles at her. Earth and Supreme Command can both be thought of as home so long as Kat is with him.

"Marie," Kat calls out. Within second a blond, half–human–half–mouse cadet is in front of her, eagerly awaiting orders. She volunteered to be the head of Kat's Cadet–Assistant team, holding Kat as her personal idol and role model. The rest of her staff comes scuffling after her, forming a v–shape like her own private army. "Hi, Marie, would you please have the records of the past week's developments ready on my systems? I will perform a quick maintenance checkup before retiring for the night."

"Of course, Miss Katherine," the mouse girl bows deeply and scurries off, tail squiggling behind her. When Kat offered to let her call her Kat – or Miss Katherine, since just Kat wasn't esteemed enough in Marie's opinion – she almost fainted.

"I keep telling her to call me Kat, but she just can't do it," Kat shakes her head, though she is incredibly fond of that particular assistant. Her head assistant and chief of her (extensive) assisting staff is like her right hand. He reminds her of Boom: "Shawn?"

"Yes, Ma'am," the young man snaps to attention.

"Please prepare my usual and bring it to my lab," Kat asks.

"Yes, Ma'am," Shawn responds with militant rigidity.

"Shawn, sweetie, I told you, relax," Kat bobs her head back and forth at the straight–backed sergeant major. "How long have you been working for me?"

"Six months, two days, fourteen hours, twenty one minutes, Ma'am," Shawn nods. Upon hearing that he would be working for Katherine Manx, he made it his sole purpose at SPD to assist her to the best of his ability. It only helps that she is the most beautiful woman he has ever seen, and that when she smiles he feels like he could melt.

"You see, you shouldn't know that down to the minute, not even the day, really." Kat looks at Doggie and shrugs. "The rest of you: dismissed."

"Take if from me, Doucer, learn to relax a bit." Cruger nods at the young man.

"Yes, sir," Shawn makes a visible effort to unsquare his shoulders. Looking at Kat he relaxes his stance awkwardly and forces a smile. "I'll have that ready for you, Miss Manx."

"Good, thank you, Shawn," Kat nods and breezes past him, letting her coat flow out behind her. Turning back to him for a moment she smiles, "you're well on your way!"

"He has a crush on you," Doggie frowns at Kat as they walk to her lab.

"No," Kat scolds as if the idea were preposterous in its own right. "Shawn doesn't have a crush on me, he's a twenty two year old sergeant major from Oriien sector."

"Who has a crush on you," Doggie reiterates. They step into her lab and the computerized security system activates.

"Welcome, Doctor Manx, and Supreme Commander Cruger," the male voice recognizes.

"BOOM, show me the runnings of the past seven days," Kat commands. She named her personalized operating system after her old assistant. BOOM stands for Biometric Oral Operating Module, designed specifically to respond to only hers or Cruger's voice, unless in an emergency.

"What did Boom say when you told him you named your personal OS after him?" Cruger chuckles, watching Kat work her magic on her machines.

"He found it flattering, then asked if the voice of my system had a manlier voice than he did," Kat smiles, flipping through fiberop screens. "I told him no, of course."

"Of course," Cruger hears approaching footsteps; "Mister Doucer is here."

"Miss Manx, your tuna salad sandwich," Shawn nods with a smile. He stares at Kat, completely in her element. Her eyes get a blue shade of glow from the fiberop screens, swimming among their preexisting shade of emerald. He's only partly ashamed to admit that he feels like giggling at the sight of her.

"Thank you, Shawn," she smiles in his direction for all of a second and a half.

"You're welcome," he blushes a bit and stares at her again, "beautiful."

"Hm?" Kat turns to him with a bite of tuna salad in her mouth.

"That will be all, Shawn," Cruger nods him out, unsettled by the ogling the man sends in Kat's direction. He's fairly used to men staring at her day in and out, and at the very least, Shawn is the most appropriate of her spectators. Once the young man is gone he turns back to Kat, who remains oblivious to it. "I keep telling you, Kat, you're too beautiful for your own good."

"Oh, Doggie," Kat sighs, though she feels herself blush at the compliment. "Old romantic, you are... "

"I thought you said I wasn't, old, that is," he teases.

"Only when I'm the one who calls you old," she teases back. Once she has gone through everything and updated the records she needed to she looks to him. "Are you sure about the Shadow Morpher? I already told you, it doesn't bother me if you want to just retire it."

"Kat, I already told you, it was a gift from an old friend, I want it in my personal quarters," he comes up behind her and leans his muzzle down. "You gave it to me, I want it with me at all times."

Kat tries to hide her spreading grin by filling in Shadow's information to the database; "sentimental, old dog."

"A sentimental dog and adorable kitten, that's an interesting match," Doggie smiles, leaning against the console.

Kat looks at him with adoring eyes. Everything about him radiates happiness and she's only too happy to be a part of it. "I'm done here, time for bed?"

"Sounds delightful," he pushes himself off the console and puts her soup and half sandwich in her mini fridge. When she joins him he offers his arm. She takes it naturally. "Tomorrow, I want you to take it easy. Come to the lab later, for a half a day. After the week we've had we both need a good rest."

"Mm, what about you? Will you be taking a break with me?" Kat asks with a smirk.

"If you insist, I suppose I've never been able to resist you," he laughs. They walk up the chrome steps, leading to his personal office. Once on the proper floor they continue past his office up a marble staircase, sheltered by gold lined chrome walls. Opening the double doors, Kat goes in ahead of him and immediately drops off her coat. Once it sits on the back of his chair, she unpins her hair and ruffles it out. Next, she takes off her button down blouse, leaving on her white tank top. She unzips her boots and leaves them by the desk.

Doggie follows her in and watches her begin to relax. It always feels nice to see her so at home here. As she takes off her blouse he follows suit and undoes his coat buttons. "Feel better?"

"Oh, yes," she sighs as she sinks into the duvet. Her skirt illustrates the curve of her hips but not in an uncomfortable way. "Come to bed, Doggie."

Doggie complies and sinks down next to his mate. He takes in her beauty, gentle and soft in the dim light. Shadow Morpher is placed on his night table, next to his picture of him and Kat with B–Squad. Tiredness overcomes him and his eyelids lower. His arms wrap around her and he nuzzles her with his wet nose, dotting moisture over the speckles on her cheeks. She purrs in response and he lays a gentle kiss to her lips. "Good night, Katherine."

"Good night, Doggie," Kat sighs against her mate. She and Doggie have great privacy here, considering SC is an exclusive workplace, he repealed any regulations that might keep them apart, and they work incredibly closely. Although she is TEC Officer, she coordinates his security team, schedules his work and manages his tasks. She oversees the management of his personal assistant team, on top of having her own. He always finds time to wander down to her lab and she always has time to work by his side in his personal Commander Center. Here, though, in the shadows of his – THEIR – quarters, she can lie peacefully, with him.


End file.
